L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Healthy debate on the post of President

Sangma’s invitation to UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee for a debate on a range of issues, particularly economy, is welcome.

The Congress stand that the President does not manage the economy is only an excuse to avoid a debate. If democracy is to flourish, all issues should be discussed. Many Presidents have remained mere figureheads, delivering speeches, giving away awards or travelling abroad. People may not vote directly for the President but they surely have a right to know the erudition of the candidates. The citizens of India have every right to be made aware of what their leaders or their President feels on important issues facing the nation.

The American practice of debating issues of national and international importance before the finale of the presidential election must be given a trial in our country too. Sangma’s call for an open debate over the variegated challenges staring the nation in the face is a welcome call.

TARUN GHAI, Phagwara

Implement govt schemes

In May 2010, the central government had launched a scheme to provide interest subsidy on educational loans for students belonging to economically weaker sections (with parental income from all sources up to Rs 4.5 lakh per annum). Two years after its announcement, the scheme remains unimplemented in most of the states including Punjab. 

The Punjab government has not appointed any official to issue the income certificate. Suddenly, in April-end, 2012, the State Bank of India alongwith other member banks who were responsible for the implementation of the scheme decided to take applications from students and kept the last date as May 31. Nobody in authority bothered to communicate the same by any of the means i.e. letter, email or sms to the students who had availed the education loan.

Due to lack of publicity by the government as well as the banks, lakhs of students from the economically weaker sections inspite of being eligible were not able to avail the interest subsidy.

It is a total injustice to poor students who feel cheated by this act of the bank as well as the negligence of the government in implementing the scheme.

Extension of submission date and ample information to the affected students will benefit and unburden the students who are paying interests as high as 14.25% pa on their education loans.

DEEPAK SINGH, Jalandhar

Power paralysis

The Delhi government recently announced a hike of 24 per cent in electricity tariff from July 2012 onwards. All this could have been avoided if environment-friendly hydel projects in Uttarakhand were not stopped by the Centre bowing to political and religious pressures.

It has resulted in the loss of electric power not only to Uttarakhand but the entire northern India including Delhi. These projects were ready to generate electricity by 2011-12. And these hydel power projects would have produced more than the required electricity and would have led to reduction in power cuts in Uttarakhand and even neighboring Delhi.

Dr PRIYA ZADU, Dehradun

Parents deserve care Rajbir Deswal’s middle “Loving and losing parents (June 29)” was a serious soul-searching piece. The concluding line “Take care before it’s too late” hit the nail on the head inspiring us to take care of our parents from today onwards as time is just slipping out of our hands every moment. Parents always dream that their children should excel in life and put in hundred per cent efforts to realise their dream. As we grow in age and stature and they grow old, we forget their efforts and affection. Persons with their parents’ blessing always shine in any walk of life. Being a product of their hard labour, we should pay the debt of their efforts and love in their old age by just taking that extra step. SANDEEP NAIN, Karnal